Why the Lap Band?

ronwifey · January 28, 2008

Hi, I thought I posted this thread already but guess not..........anywho...... I was just wondering why you guys chose lap band over the gastric sleeve? I'm reading a lot about gastric sleeve now and it seems like it has less complications. So confused.....I really had my heart set on the band. TIA

girlygirlz · January 28, 2008

I haven't heard much about the gastric sleave yet. I know it is supposed to be safer than gastric bypass but is it permanent? I liked the idea of the band because it is adustable, reversable, and there is no malabsortion. My Doctors is a member of a group that specializes in bariatric surgery and they are a bariatric center of excellence but they do not do the gastric sleave so I don't think I could have found anyone local to do it anyway.

ronwifey · January 28, 2008

Thanks for your reply. Gastric Sleeve isn't malabsorbtion but it is very permanent. I found somewhere that will dit for 7,000 but it's in Peru. It's one of those vacation/surgery things.

San Antonio Bariatric Surgery - New Dimensions Weight Loss Surgery - Sleeve Gastrectomy

The only reason I am a little hesitant on the band still is because what if my body rejects the foreign object (band) inside me? I'm scared of slippage and erosion too.

4jin · January 28, 2008

My surgeon mentioned the sleeve during the informational seminar.

He does not do it-yet.

He is waiting on more research for it.

He says eventually it will probably replace the bypass.

It works as the bypass but less complications. It is permanent. But like the bypass you can gain for same reasons.

that's all I remember.

Chrisann · January 28, 2008

I went for the lap band because it was non invasive surgery as well as the reasons mentioned by Girly. You can still eat mostly everything in very small amounts, and I liked that I wouldn't have to eliminate things just severely cut back my consumption of them.

Getting the lapband didn't really interfere with my life too much, I am 4 weeks post surgery today. I went back to work in a week, am eating Soups and mushy type foods.

aprilbene · January 28, 2008

I've never heard of the gastric sleeve. My hospital has done a lot of the weight loss surgeries. In all of the classes I had to take it was never mentioned. Is it experimental?

ronwifey · January 29, 2008

Thanks guys...... I've decided I am sticking to the band. :tt1: I can't wait for my appointment with the Dr. Friday.

Jachut · January 29, 2008

Id always choose to go with a band, adjustable, removable, I've really found that its user driven, I can be as tight or unrestricted as I please, and it has been done for over a decade in Australia, there's been plenty of practice.

At a BMI of 35, I truly didnt think something like a gastric bypass was for me and its barely done here anyway. And the gastric sleeve, well its too new for my liking, I'd like to see it around a lot longer before I chose it.

But I'd have another band a million times over.

thistledo · January 29, 2008

Hi

My surgeon does the gastric sleeve and was a big fan of it until he went to a conference in Brazil last year. He said the longer term research (5 years) which is just starting to emerge shows that the sleeve can stretch and often does, leading to some weight gain. His recommendation was the band, although he said until he saw this research he was a huge fan of the sleeve.

I guess your pouch can stretch just like the sleeve, so i really just went with his opinion as he is highly respected in the area.

Hope this helps.